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Heart in Hand
Hockey RPF
Darryl had realized very early on that for better or worse, he would be linked to Aleksey Kuznetsov for the rest of his life. But he never expected anything like this.
Words: 130,383 - Complete
N.B. Two versions available: the public version with fictionalized names, and a private version only available to registered users of AO3.
Darryl had realized very early on that for better or worse, he would be linked to Aleksey Kuznetsov for the rest of his life. But he never expected anything like this.
Words: 130,383 - Complete
N.B. Two versions available: the public version with fictionalized names, and a private version only available to registered users of AO3.
392 pages, ebook
First published October 1, 2011
983 people are currently reading
37.8k people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 342 reviews
June 12, 2012
Wow. This story just displaced as my favorite sport-centered M/M book. The characters are perfect, the plot is clean (although the initiating episode gave me a little pause.) The story becomes wonderfully angsty, believable and painful enough to put an ache in your chest. The hockey background is very well done - enough emphasis to be central to the story of two professional players but not too much. The relationships of the guys with each other, their teammates and family and the wider world, are the centerpieces of this story.
Sid in his tentative awakening and uncertainty is wonderful, but it is Alex, with his humor and silliness and great heart who will make you fall in love. The plot-mover of this book is a misunderstanding, but in this context it is wholly believable and you'll only want to kick both guys a little bit.
God, I wanted more. Wanted to see the fallout from the next day after the end of the book, wanted to see the guys together moving forward, but that's because I'm greedy. This may have been fan-fic/slash, but it is on my list of best books I have read this year. Highly recommended.
Sid in his tentative awakening and uncertainty is wonderful, but it is Alex, with his humor and silliness and great heart who will make you fall in love. The plot-mover of this book is a misunderstanding, but in this context it is wholly believable and you'll only want to kick both guys a little bit.
God, I wanted more. Wanted to see the fallout from the next day after the end of the book, wanted to see the guys together moving forward, but that's because I'm greedy. This may have been fan-fic/slash, but it is on my list of best books I have read this year. Highly recommended.
January 6, 2018
Hi! Completely clueless ice hockey virgin here!
Ever since I fell down that fanfiction rabbit hole, I enjoy preach.. I mean, sharing my love for these fantastic free reads with you guys. After nibbling from Merthur and Sterek for a bit, I decided it was time to give another popular source of inspiration for fanfic a go: ice hockey!
So, Heart in Hand: the author mentioned being taken aback with the popularity of her work outside the fandom, and as a result changed the names of the two MCs, famous ice hockey players, to fictional names. I didn’t care either way, none of these names rang a bell for me. Still, I wish I hadn’t googled that Russian ice hockey player with ‘shaggy hair and gap-toothed grin�. That’s NOT a gap-toothed grin! It’s like someone got a bazooka and blew half his teeth out!
See how clueless I am? I thought the poor dude had suffered from a bad childhood case of malnutrition. But apparently, missing teeth and a token of toughness.
This book is 300 pages long and would have been much more compelling if, let’s say, one third had been cut out. Heart in Hand has a ton of potential, but damn, does someone needs to kill her darlings! In my eyes, the author lacked a little intuition here. She failed to sense what parts were important (there’s too little Unreleased Sexual Tension (UST), meaningful looks and touches, chemistry and actual decent sex instead of dull off-page sex) and what parts needed to be trimmed down (endless recaps of TV episodes and games, lengthy summaries of mundane stuff). Then there’s the two MCs, whose prepubescent state of mind and simplicity got on my nerves a bit. Worse, their UST got killed off pretty much right away by a surreal bet that resulted in what could’ve been the most awkward and cringe-worthy…well, you can decide for yourself when you come across it..
So much potential wasted.. I must have disliked this story, right?
Uhm, no I didn’t! Heart in Hand is a diamond in the..mwah, make that AN AMETHYST IN THE ROUGH! Despite my pet peeves this was an enjoyable read! I even experienced a tiny tsunami of feels and angst! Can you believe that this toothless Russian guy actually grew on me? It didn’t take long for me to start rooting for him; he was such a pain in the assy fun guy. I was amused. Props to the author for making his character come alive. Compared to him, his American love interest felt neglected. God, but he was a boring bugger.
In a nut-shell: it doesn’t matter if you know heck about ice hockey. If you’re up for a long and flawed, but angsty feel good story, make sure to download Heart in Hand (for those who are interested: the original work with the RL players can still be found on Archive Of Our Own too). Chances are that it will conquer your heart. I know it sort of managed to win mine.
Ever since I fell down that fanfiction rabbit hole, I enjoy preach.. I mean, sharing my love for these fantastic free reads with you guys. After nibbling from Merthur and Sterek for a bit, I decided it was time to give another popular source of inspiration for fanfic a go: ice hockey!
So, Heart in Hand: the author mentioned being taken aback with the popularity of her work outside the fandom, and as a result changed the names of the two MCs, famous ice hockey players, to fictional names. I didn’t care either way, none of these names rang a bell for me. Still, I wish I hadn’t googled that Russian ice hockey player with ‘shaggy hair and gap-toothed grin�. That’s NOT a gap-toothed grin! It’s like someone got a bazooka and blew half his teeth out!
See how clueless I am? I thought the poor dude had suffered from a bad childhood case of malnutrition. But apparently, missing teeth and a token of toughness.
This book is 300 pages long and would have been much more compelling if, let’s say, one third had been cut out. Heart in Hand has a ton of potential, but damn, does someone needs to kill her darlings! In my eyes, the author lacked a little intuition here. She failed to sense what parts were important (there’s too little Unreleased Sexual Tension (UST), meaningful looks and touches, chemistry and actual decent sex instead of dull off-page sex) and what parts needed to be trimmed down (endless recaps of TV episodes and games, lengthy summaries of mundane stuff). Then there’s the two MCs, whose prepubescent state of mind and simplicity got on my nerves a bit. Worse, their UST got killed off pretty much right away by a surreal bet that resulted in what could’ve been the most awkward and cringe-worthy…well, you can decide for yourself when you come across it..
So much potential wasted.. I must have disliked this story, right?
Uhm, no I didn’t! Heart in Hand is a diamond in the..mwah, make that AN AMETHYST IN THE ROUGH! Despite my pet peeves this was an enjoyable read! I even experienced a tiny tsunami of feels and angst! Can you believe that this toothless Russian guy actually grew on me? It didn’t take long for me to start rooting for him; he was such a pain in the assy fun guy. I was amused. Props to the author for making his character come alive. Compared to him, his American love interest felt neglected. God, but he was a boring bugger.
In a nut-shell: it doesn’t matter if you know heck about ice hockey. If you’re up for a long and flawed, but angsty feel good story, make sure to download Heart in Hand (for those who are interested: the original work with the RL players can still be found on Archive Of Our Own too). Chances are that it will conquer your heart. I know it sort of managed to win mine.
March 8, 2016
**4.5 stars**
When I first started this book I wasn't sure I would love it. I'm not much of a sports fan and this book has a ton of sports talk in it. But little by little it won me over. It won me over big time.
I'm not big on plot summaries so I'll talk more about general feelings I had about the story. This might be a bit ramble-y... First of all, I wish AJ and Darryl (I read the version that didn't contain the names of real players) had a better first time together, if you know what I mean. The writing of this moment was too rushed for my taste, and I was pretty shocked as it was happening. Overall, I wanted more intimate moments and less sports talk (but maybe that is just me). I did fall in love with them as a couple but I felt like I could have used some more kisses and those details. More tenderness. Did they even kiss at all really during the story (except for a side of the mouth kiss later?)? I'm not sure.
However, I was dying to see what would happen to them as a couple by the end of the story. I was so anxious! I was totally like this:
That last game and that award ceremony... just wow!!
When I first started this book I wasn't sure I would love it. I'm not much of a sports fan and this book has a ton of sports talk in it. But little by little it won me over. It won me over big time.
I'm not big on plot summaries so I'll talk more about general feelings I had about the story. This might be a bit ramble-y... First of all, I wish AJ and Darryl (I read the version that didn't contain the names of real players) had a better first time together, if you know what I mean. The writing of this moment was too rushed for my taste, and I was pretty shocked as it was happening. Overall, I wanted more intimate moments and less sports talk (but maybe that is just me). I did fall in love with them as a couple but I felt like I could have used some more kisses and those details. More tenderness. Did they even kiss at all really during the story (except for a side of the mouth kiss later?)? I'm not sure.
However, I was dying to see what would happen to them as a couple by the end of the story. I was so anxious! I was totally like this:
That last game and that award ceremony... just wow!!
Read
October 13, 2019
@33%
I am giving up because there is nothing working for me.
The Russian MC is driving me mad. He reads as childish, and I can't take his bad jokes anymore. Besides, his character doesn't master the English language, and this is getting on my nerves. I had read a few books before where a MC used to skip pronouns and verbs before and it didn't drive me as mad as this one. It is not me; it's the writing.
The writing is bland. There are no feels in the story so far. Both MC live an empty life around hockey. The first time they had sex was terrible. I found it ridiculous unbelievable. The things are progressing; they keep seeing each other, but it's a practical and cold interaction. I wish I could have a peek inside their heads, their hearts, but I don't.
I am moving on.
Peace!
February 2, 2017
Who'd. Have. Thought.
Natasha Snow loves a hockey fanfic. HUH.
It's just... it's just so GOOD! It is!
I read because stories like this make me feel the way this story made me feel.
That's all there is to it.
Natasha Snow loves a hockey fanfic. HUH.
It's just... it's just so GOOD! It is!
I read because stories like this make me feel the way this story made me feel.
That's all there is to it.
November 28, 2024
3,5 stars.
It's not easy to put my feelings into words, but I'll try anyway.
This romance from 2011 truly felt like a blueprint for the now so popular mm hockey romances with a cocky russian (here: Alex/AJ) and a reserved american hockey player (here: Daryl). It was not as obvious as with the The Point Shot series by V.L.Locey (2015), that one felt more or less like a copy/paste - model for Rachel Reid's characters Ilya and Shane (2018), but Ilya's playfulness and silliness could have been borrowed from AJ.
The story is narrated in third person present tense, singular pov. We get only Darryl's pov, and usually I love single pov, but I didn't like Darryl for most of the book.
At first because his character wasn't likeable to me, at all, later on because he behaved in a extremely hurtful way towards AJ. Once he started feeling regretful for his actions (late, though, way into the second half of the book) I started to feel sympathetic with him, but as he kept agonizing over how badly he had behaved without reaching out and apologizing to AJ, I still didn't like him very much, even if I did get some of his concerns.
The character development for AJ was awesome, for Darryl it was late but better late than never.
The strenght of this book (to me) was not its romance, but showing day by day (hour by hour) the pain of a coming out that's been forced on someone.
The story itself was gripping, just a few times it dragged a bit.
I didn't enjoy Darryl's overbearing family, at all (but that's a pet peeve of mine).
A note to the first sex scene.. ugh.. well, the trigger warnings say "dubious consent" so I should have been prepared? Strange enough (why???) all the other sex scenes were closed door or mentioned as having occured.
What I loved A LOT was the last chapter. It was awesome.
It's not easy to put my feelings into words, but I'll try anyway.
This romance from 2011 truly felt like a blueprint for the now so popular mm hockey romances with a cocky russian (here: Alex/AJ) and a reserved american hockey player (here: Daryl). It was not as obvious as with the The Point Shot series by V.L.Locey (2015), that one felt more or less like a copy/paste - model for Rachel Reid's characters Ilya and Shane (2018), but Ilya's playfulness and silliness could have been borrowed from AJ.
The story is narrated in third person present tense, singular pov. We get only Darryl's pov, and usually I love single pov, but I didn't like Darryl for most of the book.
At first because his character wasn't likeable to me, at all, later on because he behaved in a extremely hurtful way towards AJ. Once he started feeling regretful for his actions (late, though, way into the second half of the book) I started to feel sympathetic with him, but as he kept agonizing over how badly he had behaved without reaching out and apologizing to AJ, I still didn't like him very much, even if I did get some of his concerns.
The character development for AJ was awesome, for Darryl it was late but better late than never.
The strenght of this book (to me) was not its romance, but showing day by day (hour by hour) the pain of a coming out that's been forced on someone.
The story itself was gripping, just a few times it dragged a bit.
I didn't enjoy Darryl's overbearing family, at all (but that's a pet peeve of mine).
A note to the first sex scene.. ugh.. well, the trigger warnings say "dubious consent" so I should have been prepared? Strange enough (why???) all the other sex scenes were closed door or mentioned as having occured.
What I loved A LOT was the last chapter. It was awesome.
November 20, 2014
4.5 stars. Wonderful free online romance between two ice hockey players with a real showstopper of an ending that will bring a happy tear to your eye. Sid Crosby is one of the best players in the National Hockey league. He's approached in the off-season by one of the leagues most brilliant yet inconsistant players, the extroverted Russian, Alex Ovechkin, to train together and help Ovechkin improve his game. Their good natured sparring and rivalry make their practice sessions more and more popular with fans and eventually they're approached by a television network to make a reality show about their practice and upcoming season. After a rash bet their player friendship changes into a surprising and irresistible physical relationship. But this becomes a rollercoaster ride of emotion and self-questioning as one of the guys falls in love and the other one is forced to come out.
OK, Ovie is just the most adorably mischievous and crazy guy ever! It's no wonder Sid goes mad for him. He's funny, provocative, eccentrically foreign, and SO BRAVE! And I love Sid too, much quieter, always the perfect team captain, but frightened and insecure as well. I know nothing about ice hockey (not a game you see often when you live in the tropics!) so the fact that this is fanfic of two real life people didn't put me off at all. It was like reading a great original m/m romance. And the sporting talk was fine for me. Not too much at all. Highly recommended! (thanks to Chris for spotting this in her updates)
The author is kind enough to provide it as a download in various formats from the link provided so no need to read on your computer or copy/convert pages of text.
OK, Ovie is just the most adorably mischievous and crazy guy ever! It's no wonder Sid goes mad for him. He's funny, provocative, eccentrically foreign, and SO BRAVE! And I love Sid too, much quieter, always the perfect team captain, but frightened and insecure as well. I know nothing about ice hockey (not a game you see often when you live in the tropics!) so the fact that this is fanfic of two real life people didn't put me off at all. It was like reading a great original m/m romance. And the sporting talk was fine for me. Not too much at all. Highly recommended! (thanks to Chris for spotting this in her updates)
The author is kind enough to provide it as a download in various formats from the link provided so no need to read on your computer or copy/convert pages of text.
September 27, 2012
4.5 stars. Very good m/m romance about two hockey players on rival teams who become friends - and more - through an unusual turn of events. I got sniffly more than once while I was reading this one. What didn't work so well for me were all the hockey details in the last third of the book, which got to be a bit much. (Note that this is, as Kate puts it, set in an alternate universe and features two real-life NHL players.)
Reread: Just as good, if not better, on the reread. My eyes leaked this time, too.
Rereread: Yes, I totally read this twice in less than a week. Got a problem with that?!
Reread: Just as good, if not better, on the reread. My eyes leaked this time, too.
Rereread: Yes, I totally read this twice in less than a week. Got a problem with that?!
December 2, 2014
**** THIS REVIEW IS BASED ON THE ORIGINAL RPF FAN FICTION; Thus the names I wrote in this review space were different than the blurb ****
I do have to say first, though: I know nothing about hockey, its players, or NHL. I live in tropical country; we have sun all year long. So hockey has never been in my state of mind. You talk about soccer or badminton, then I know. Not hockey, though. I think BECAUSE of that, it's easier for me to accept this story. I've never been a fan of real people slash -- feel like it's too stalkerish. But since I know nothing about these players, I can think of it as original M/M story instead. And no, I will not stalk Google to find out about them, or watching youtube. Just not my thing; again, feel too stalkerish ...
So, on to the story. Oh, my, what can I say that haven't been said by anyone else? I guess there isn't any. So I'm not going to
... except that this is a story about triumph.
I love the built-up to the relationship (even if that first bet is just outrageous!), the slow realization that Sid feels when he realizes his feeling for Alex (or "Ovie") and the fact that he's gay, the blowout and how Alex and his team and NHL handle Alex's announcement that he's bisexual, and how the story resolves in the end.
I think Alex is just an admirable character; he's charming, he's persistent, he steals my heart from the very beginning. But how he handles the 'scandal', how he stands up for himself, how he protects Sid, and how he reaches out to those kids ... I have tears during those segment alone. Let's just say I wish I know one Alex in my life.
I wish Sid step up earlier -- but in a sense he's also more private than Alex. He doesn't deal with his feeling better, after only focusing his life to be better at hockey. So even if I slightly think Sid needs more groveling, what he does in the end, it's just perfect.
The epilogue is cute :)
All in all, definitely one of the best M/M sport stories I have read. Especially because the author treats these people and the game itself with respect. Read the part where Alex answers the question whether he wants to win the Cup or not, and you will see what I mean.
"But it's what the sport teaches you about life that's really most important. At its best, hockey teaches you discipline, courage, loyalty, friendship, honor. It teaches you to work hard, it teaches you to trust in others, it teaches you strive for something greater than yourself."
I guess I end up talking more than I intend too at first *lol*
Technical warning: Present tense (I know some people hate that), 3rd person narration (but Sid's perspective only), and few typos. But, it's FREE, and the author provides multiple format, so suck it up people!!!
I do have to say first, though: I know nothing about hockey, its players, or NHL. I live in tropical country; we have sun all year long. So hockey has never been in my state of mind. You talk about soccer or badminton, then I know. Not hockey, though. I think BECAUSE of that, it's easier for me to accept this story. I've never been a fan of real people slash -- feel like it's too stalkerish. But since I know nothing about these players, I can think of it as original M/M story instead. And no, I will not stalk Google to find out about them, or watching youtube. Just not my thing; again, feel too stalkerish ...
So, on to the story. Oh, my, what can I say that haven't been said by anyone else? I guess there isn't any. So I'm not going to
... except that this is a story about triumph.
I love the built-up to the relationship (even if that first bet is just outrageous!), the slow realization that Sid feels when he realizes his feeling for Alex (or "Ovie") and the fact that he's gay, the blowout and how Alex and his team and NHL handle Alex's announcement that he's bisexual, and how the story resolves in the end.
I think Alex is just an admirable character; he's charming, he's persistent, he steals my heart from the very beginning. But how he handles the 'scandal', how he stands up for himself, how he protects Sid, and how he reaches out to those kids ... I have tears during those segment alone. Let's just say I wish I know one Alex in my life.
I wish Sid step up earlier -- but in a sense he's also more private than Alex. He doesn't deal with his feeling better, after only focusing his life to be better at hockey. So even if I slightly think Sid needs more groveling, what he does in the end, it's just perfect.
The epilogue is cute :)
All in all, definitely one of the best M/M sport stories I have read. Especially because the author treats these people and the game itself with respect. Read the part where Alex answers the question whether he wants to win the Cup or not, and you will see what I mean.
"But it's what the sport teaches you about life that's really most important. At its best, hockey teaches you discipline, courage, loyalty, friendship, honor. It teaches you to work hard, it teaches you to trust in others, it teaches you strive for something greater than yourself."
I guess I end up talking more than I intend too at first *lol*
Technical warning: Present tense (I know some people hate that), 3rd person narration (but Sid's perspective only), and few typos. But, it's FREE, and the author provides multiple format, so suck it up people!!!
November 22, 2013
Rating: 4.5 stars.
So how does a person, who failed his sports exam in 6th grade PE class, realize that a novel focused on ice hockey is an absolute win? When said novel makes him WISHED he played and loves the sport!
My knowledge of ice hockey wouldn't impress anyone older than the age of three. But that's okay, it's not necessarily required for Heart in Hand. If anything, ice hockey is really the setting for a love story between two of the National Hockey League's (NHL) biggest rising stars: Darryl Colton (Canadian) and Aleksey (Alex) Kuznetzov (Russian). Both NHL stars play on American teams.
Darryl is a pragmatic guy who is strictly by-the-rules. Yet for some reason, Alex manages to get under his skin. Alex's 6th grader enthusiasm (Darryl's wording, not mine) and open heart begins to slowly make Darryl come to conclusions that could not only jeopardize his NHL career, but his personal life as well.
As for Alex's character, I think it's safe to say that most people would absolutely love him! He's a big guy who's never afraid to crack a joke, laugh at himself, lend a helping hand (to both people and stray kittens!), and...okay, you get the point, right? He is adorbz x 1000. And I think it's for this reason that when shit hits the fan (because that ALWAYS happens with these sports star M/M fiction), the BIG FALLOUT occurs, and the STRUGGLE afterwards, you can't help but bust the big, fat ugly tears!
I think my biggest complaint for Heart in Hand was the amount of time that Darryl and Alex are apart after the fallout and big misunderstanding (probably 25-30% of the book). I wanted more Darryl x Alex, and I almost couldn't forgive Darryl even until the end.
Almost.
But yeah, he redeemed himself. Just barely, but I give him props for what he chose to do.
So once again: you don't have to be a hockey fan to enjoy this read. Are there some hockey info that are strewn throughout the book? Yes. But either a quick Google search or simply ignoring that detail doesn't affect the overall enjoyment for me. Because I wasn't looking for a sports novel when I started this. I was looking for a love story, and that's exactly what I got. I just never imagined that there was so much love out there: among fans, friends, family, teammates, and lovers.
So how does a person, who failed his sports exam in 6th grade PE class, realize that a novel focused on ice hockey is an absolute win? When said novel makes him WISHED he played and loves the sport!
My knowledge of ice hockey wouldn't impress anyone older than the age of three. But that's okay, it's not necessarily required for Heart in Hand. If anything, ice hockey is really the setting for a love story between two of the National Hockey League's (NHL) biggest rising stars: Darryl Colton (Canadian) and Aleksey (Alex) Kuznetzov (Russian). Both NHL stars play on American teams.
Darryl is a pragmatic guy who is strictly by-the-rules. Yet for some reason, Alex manages to get under his skin. Alex's 6th grader enthusiasm (Darryl's wording, not mine) and open heart begins to slowly make Darryl come to conclusions that could not only jeopardize his NHL career, but his personal life as well.
As for Alex's character, I think it's safe to say that most people would absolutely love him! He's a big guy who's never afraid to crack a joke, laugh at himself, lend a helping hand (to both people and stray kittens!), and...okay, you get the point, right? He is adorbz x 1000. And I think it's for this reason that when shit hits the fan (because that ALWAYS happens with these sports star M/M fiction), the BIG FALLOUT occurs, and the STRUGGLE afterwards, you can't help but bust the big, fat ugly tears!
I think my biggest complaint for Heart in Hand was the amount of time that Darryl and Alex are apart after the fallout and big misunderstanding (probably 25-30% of the book). I wanted more Darryl x Alex, and I almost couldn't forgive Darryl even until the end.
Almost.
But yeah, he redeemed himself. Just barely, but I give him props for what he chose to do.
So once again: you don't have to be a hockey fan to enjoy this read. Are there some hockey info that are strewn throughout the book? Yes. But either a quick Google search or simply ignoring that detail doesn't affect the overall enjoyment for me. Because I wasn't looking for a sports novel when I started this. I was looking for a love story, and that's exactly what I got. I just never imagined that there was so much love out there: among fans, friends, family, teammates, and lovers.
February 6, 2012
I had no idea who Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin were before reading this. Nor was I any ice hockey expert. To be honest I am still not interested in learning more about either the players or the sport. Heck, it took me some twenty years and a very patient and persistent husband to understand what an "offside" is. And that's football. Do they have offsides in ice hockey?
But I digress.
This reads like a young adult story, really. Very light to no explicit content and two heroes thinking and behaving like teenagers. From what I gather, the RL players are not much older anyway.
It's a single POV story (Sidney's) but that's OK because seeing Ovechkin through Sidney's eyes makes him come across funnier.
This is also the cheesiest story I've read in a long time. If only coming out were so easy. If only reality TV producers were so considerate. If only people (and celebrities at that) decided to go ahead and do it because of some touching letters from some kids. If only bosses and colleagues and family and friends were so accepting and supporting. If only the first thing everyone heard when they came out were "there's nothing wrong with being gay".
This story doesn't exactly glamorize coming out but it doesn't make it sound all that bad either. That's a good and a bad thing at the same time but I'll choose to see the good side here and think that it could make some people out there smile and feel all warm and fuzzy inside. It certainly had that effect on me.
Oh, and Kate? I'm still a Sidney person :)
But I digress.
This reads like a young adult story, really. Very light to no explicit content and two heroes thinking and behaving like teenagers. From what I gather, the RL players are not much older anyway.
It's a single POV story (Sidney's) but that's OK because seeing Ovechkin through Sidney's eyes makes him come across funnier.
This is also the cheesiest story I've read in a long time. If only coming out were so easy. If only reality TV producers were so considerate. If only people (and celebrities at that) decided to go ahead and do it because of some touching letters from some kids. If only bosses and colleagues and family and friends were so accepting and supporting. If only the first thing everyone heard when they came out were "there's nothing wrong with being gay".
This story doesn't exactly glamorize coming out but it doesn't make it sound all that bad either. That's a good and a bad thing at the same time but I'll choose to see the good side here and think that it could make some people out there smile and feel all warm and fuzzy inside. It certainly had that effect on me.
Oh, and Kate? I'm still a Sidney person :)
July 30, 2012
This is the best sports MM story that I've read. If I could give it more than 5 stars I would.
Full disclosure here, this started out as a RPF (real person fic) about two NHL players Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin. The version that I read was altered to change the names to Darryl Colton and Aleksey(AJ)Kuznetsov, the characters are still unmistakeably the RP and because I'm familiar with them as players I'll honestly say that I found that a bit uncomfortable. I love a good sports story but I've never been a fan of the RPF but this was recommended to me so I just had to give it a chance and work with the altered fic. I am so glad that I did. I think if you're not familiar with the actual players the fact that was originally RPF won't affect your enjoyment of this story. If you are a hockey fan I encourage you to just read it and go with the flow, you won't regret it.
This was such a fun story but it had some pretty intense moments, the premise of the reality show just worked so well and was such a great hook to get these two to interact through the season.
I don't think I've read another sports fic that was so authentic. The writing here is so natural and funny and the ways that AJ tries to get Darryl to loosen up were hilarious and this story just made me laugh and laugh. Lots of pranks on both sides here and chemistry is just off the charts. AJ is tremendously charming and loveable where Darryl is so serious and intense so seeing how they play off each other and see the build-up to their attraction was just such a treat to read.
I really enjoyed these characters, a lot, and would love to see a sequel to this fic. It was disappointing to come to the end of the story but the epilogue is priceless and had me howling. If you love a sports MM story with lots of humour but also some lovely intense moments this is really a story you HAVE to read. I cannot recommend it enough.
Full disclosure here, this started out as a RPF (real person fic) about two NHL players Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin. The version that I read was altered to change the names to Darryl Colton and Aleksey(AJ)Kuznetsov, the characters are still unmistakeably the RP and because I'm familiar with them as players I'll honestly say that I found that a bit uncomfortable. I love a good sports story but I've never been a fan of the RPF but this was recommended to me so I just had to give it a chance and work with the altered fic. I am so glad that I did. I think if you're not familiar with the actual players the fact that was originally RPF won't affect your enjoyment of this story. If you are a hockey fan I encourage you to just read it and go with the flow, you won't regret it.
This was such a fun story but it had some pretty intense moments, the premise of the reality show just worked so well and was such a great hook to get these two to interact through the season.
I don't think I've read another sports fic that was so authentic. The writing here is so natural and funny and the ways that AJ tries to get Darryl to loosen up were hilarious and this story just made me laugh and laugh. Lots of pranks on both sides here and chemistry is just off the charts. AJ is tremendously charming and loveable where Darryl is so serious and intense so seeing how they play off each other and see the build-up to their attraction was just such a treat to read.
I really enjoyed these characters, a lot, and would love to see a sequel to this fic. It was disappointing to come to the end of the story but the epilogue is priceless and had me howling. If you love a sports MM story with lots of humour but also some lovely intense moments this is really a story you HAVE to read. I cannot recommend it enough.
November 9, 2019
Re-read: forgot the great sense of team and friendships in this. There's a lot of feelings and a strong sense of who the main characters are as people. I've read more hockey-fic since but this remains the favourite. Angst, humour and a feel-good ending.
-- --
I'm going with the full 5stars, I'd perhaps be more critical if it wasn't free, but truth is it's a long fic and I enjoyed it.
First off: Real Person fanfic is a concept I don't like, it feels wrong to me. The story is available with different names which is the version I've read, but as I'm unfamiliar with Hockey and the people it's based on anyway, to me either reads as an original fic.
Any fan's of 'Tigers and Devils' is probably going to like this.
Alex is a great character, brash but hiding a heart of gold. I'm not sure Darryl deserves him; but Darryl's insecurities are well expressed and believable, by the end of the day they've both faced themselves.
There's a lot of team pranks and humour which was fun reading, there are challenges to believability (especially at the beginning) and the fic's end is straight from Hollywood - but a big showy finale does tend to be satisfying, I've no complaints.
It's sizeable, free and far better than many I've paid for.
-- --
I'm going with the full 5stars, I'd perhaps be more critical if it wasn't free, but truth is it's a long fic and I enjoyed it.
First off: Real Person fanfic is a concept I don't like, it feels wrong to me. The story is available with different names which is the version I've read, but as I'm unfamiliar with Hockey and the people it's based on anyway, to me either reads as an original fic.
Any fan's of 'Tigers and Devils' is probably going to like this.
Alex is a great character, brash but hiding a heart of gold. I'm not sure Darryl deserves him; but Darryl's insecurities are well expressed and believable, by the end of the day they've both faced themselves.
There's a lot of team pranks and humour which was fun reading, there are challenges to believability (especially at the beginning) and the fic's end is straight from Hollywood - but a big showy finale does tend to be satisfying, I've no complaints.
It's sizeable, free and far better than many I've paid for.
February 11, 2018
re-read 2018: wow this was actually better the second time around. There's instalust at the beginning which will put some readers off but if you keep on reading the story just grows on you. and that ending was just so good! Too bad the author did not write a ff up story. 5 stars
2014
I thought I was gonna hate this. There were some Seriously? Oh Cmon! moments here and I almost decided not finish it but this book actually grew on me . I wanted more of it. 5 stars!
2014
I thought I was gonna hate this. There were some Seriously? Oh Cmon! moments here and I almost decided not finish it but this book actually grew on me . I wanted more of it. 5 stars!
May 11, 2015
Wow, this book kicked my ass in a big way! I guess I was expecting a happy hockey romance, but I ended up drowning in the angst. I am NOT a good crier!
If you are looking for a epic tale of love and loss (but with a HEA, don't worry!) and can handle some serious ugly-cry angst, between two gorgeous hockey players, this book is for you! Recommended.
If you are looking for a epic tale of love and loss (but with a HEA, don't worry!) and can handle some serious ugly-cry angst, between two gorgeous hockey players, this book is for you! Recommended.
November 24, 2014
5 gold hockey stars
The great rivalry... a simple bet turned into something more
I have a soft spot for sports books and really enjoyed this story which is based on 2 real-life hockey stars in the NHL. I fell in love with both MCs but especially with Alex with his humorous nature and a shiny character with a big heart of gold.
The development of the tentative romance side was very tender
But there were few issues to deal with...
This book gave such an uplifting view of what people can do in the face of serious difficulties. How those who you least expect can show bravery and love. That when it matters people will stand up for what is right and fair. *Sigh* The families, the teammates, friends in this book were amazing.
The feel of the book is just wonderful.
Overall this was a fully developed story with character depth, real emotion, real hockey being played by the MCs, great secondary characters, great friendship, great humor, great angst, and last but not least, a great love!
Completely hit the spot and want more. Loved the ending and I wish this was a true story.
Wonderful recommended sports M/M romance
The great rivalry... a simple bet turned into something more
I have a soft spot for sports books and really enjoyed this story which is based on 2 real-life hockey stars in the NHL. I fell in love with both MCs but especially with Alex with his humorous nature and a shiny character with a big heart of gold.
The development of the tentative romance side was very tender
“And Darryl can feel his heart somersault slowly out of his chest, straight into the possession of the man whose head is currently cutting off circulation to Darryl's right leg. At that moment, Darryl Colton falls in love with Aleksey Kuznetsov.�
But there were few issues to deal with...
This book gave such an uplifting view of what people can do in the face of serious difficulties. How those who you least expect can show bravery and love. That when it matters people will stand up for what is right and fair. *Sigh* The families, the teammates, friends in this book were amazing.
The feel of the book is just wonderful.
Overall this was a fully developed story with character depth, real emotion, real hockey being played by the MCs, great secondary characters, great friendship, great humor, great angst, and last but not least, a great love!
Completely hit the spot and want more. Loved the ending and I wish this was a true story.
Wonderful recommended sports M/M romance
March 20, 2020
Hockey!!!
What’s not to love??
This RPF WAS AWESOME!
Sure, it could have used editing (shorter!), but it’s fab fiction on AO3!
I would have also liked for more UST, but there was plenty of tension in the relationship part of the story.
I ADORED Alex!!!
If you want to know more, read other reviews since they are WAY BETTER than mine!
My rec? No true hockey fan can skip this one!
What’s not to love??
This RPF WAS AWESOME!
Sure, it could have used editing (shorter!), but it’s fab fiction on AO3!
I would have also liked for more UST, but there was plenty of tension in the relationship part of the story.
I ADORED Alex!!!
If you want to know more, read other reviews since they are WAY BETTER than mine!
My rec? No true hockey fan can skip this one!
December 4, 2011
I've always been a fan of sport related fiction although I rarely watch any kind of sport in RL. I especially love it in m/m because there is always the struggle of coming out, the betrayal from friends and misunderstandings between lovers. If the author is especially great then you also get some wonderful sport details and can almost feel the tension of the game, experience the adrenaline and easily fall in love with the characters.
This particular story had everything I could have asked for and I can't recommend it enough. Like I previously said, i don't follow sports, of any kind, but I do like hockey, and if it was more popular here I could actually go and see a game I would probably be a huge fan. That brings me up to a warning. In case you are a fan of ice hockey and have issues with two famous players getting together, you should skip this story, like put a great big distance from here, because this is a story about Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin. It is told form Sid's POV and that seriously works like a charm.
It all starts with a friendship, gets wobbly after a bet and eventually evolves into something more steady. But just getting it on can't really make a story this long, and it wouldn't be fare to just end it when the couple has sex. No, this is a story about coming out, the ramifications one encounter can cause and about self discovery and dealing with the weight most gay men have experienced sometime in their lives. This is a story I truly recommend.
This particular story had everything I could have asked for and I can't recommend it enough. Like I previously said, i don't follow sports, of any kind, but I do like hockey, and if it was more popular here I could actually go and see a game I would probably be a huge fan. That brings me up to a warning. In case you are a fan of ice hockey and have issues with two famous players getting together, you should skip this story, like put a great big distance from here, because this is a story about Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin. It is told form Sid's POV and that seriously works like a charm.
It all starts with a friendship, gets wobbly after a bet and eventually evolves into something more steady. But just getting it on can't really make a story this long, and it wouldn't be fare to just end it when the couple has sex. No, this is a story about coming out, the ramifications one encounter can cause and about self discovery and dealing with the weight most gay men have experienced sometime in their lives. This is a story I truly recommend.
December 4, 2014
Fantastic book!
I absolutely adored Alex Kuznetsov! The way he speaks, the way he behaves, the way he simply is!
Darryl was lovely as well, but he had some reactions that made me want to smack him!! In the end, he redeemed himself and everything was perfect!
Highly recommended!
I absolutely adored Alex Kuznetsov! The way he speaks, the way he behaves, the way he simply is!
Darryl was lovely as well, but he had some reactions that made me want to smack him!! In the end, he redeemed himself and everything was perfect!
Highly recommended!
September 30, 2012
mmmmmmmmmmm . . . Hockey fic made me happy.
March 20, 2012
Ìý
This turned out to be surprisingly good! To be honest, this was nearly a DNF for me.Ìý But once I got to around 30% I really connected with Sid and Ovie and couldn't stop reading it.ÌýThe characters seemedÌýso real to me. Ìý
Ìý
It took me a while to get usedÌýtoÌýthe third person present tense narration style and I think the beginning dragged a bit.Ìý It wasn't romantic in the beginningÌýnor was there any sexualÌýtension to keep me hooked.Ìý In fact, thereÌýwas hardly any sex at all and its pretty much fade to black or not very explicit.Ìý But there are some really sweet, tender moments between Sid and Ovie that made me *sigh*. My biggest issue was the slow parts that seemed to go on and on and on and on and...
Ìý
I ended up loving the ending! Ìý It seemed like a very long time to get to a HEA, though. First I wanted to strangle Ovie. Then I wanted to strangle Sid.Ìý Then back to Ovie.Ìý They were so frustrating and stubborn I wanted to strangle them both! But the ending was great.Ìý A bit predictable, but still great!
Ìý
All the hockey stuff didn't bother me at all, even though IÌýlive in the South and know absolutely nothing about the sport. I like sports books and manly men and I did find it somewhat interesting. But it does go on and on and on...about hockey.
Ìý
Oh, I must not forget to say how much I really liked all the secondary characters, too.Ìý Taylor (Sid's sister) was awesome and so was his parents.Ìý Ovie's family was great and so was his teammates.Ìý I even liked poor, clueless Malone!
Ìý
Now that I've finished, I miss Sid and Ovie :(
This turned out to be surprisingly good! To be honest, this was nearly a DNF for me.Ìý But once I got to around 30% I really connected with Sid and Ovie and couldn't stop reading it.ÌýThe characters seemedÌýso real to me. Ìý
Ìý
It took me a while to get usedÌýtoÌýthe third person present tense narration style and I think the beginning dragged a bit.Ìý It wasn't romantic in the beginningÌýnor was there any sexualÌýtension to keep me hooked.Ìý In fact, thereÌýwas hardly any sex at all and its pretty much fade to black or not very explicit.Ìý But there are some really sweet, tender moments between Sid and Ovie that made me *sigh*. My biggest issue was the slow parts that seemed to go on and on and on and on and...
Ìý
I ended up loving the ending! Ìý It seemed like a very long time to get to a HEA, though. First I wanted to strangle Ovie. Then I wanted to strangle Sid.Ìý Then back to Ovie.Ìý They were so frustrating and stubborn I wanted to strangle them both! But the ending was great.Ìý A bit predictable, but still great!
Ìý
All the hockey stuff didn't bother me at all, even though IÌýlive in the South and know absolutely nothing about the sport. I like sports books and manly men and I did find it somewhat interesting. But it does go on and on and on...about hockey.
Ìý
Oh, I must not forget to say how much I really liked all the secondary characters, too.Ìý Taylor (Sid's sister) was awesome and so was his parents.Ìý Ovie's family was great and so was his teammates.Ìý I even liked poor, clueless Malone!
Ìý
Now that I've finished, I miss Sid and Ovie :(
Read
September 29, 2016DNF en el 10%, me estaba aburriendo, la mezcla de tiempos verbales no me gusta, hay demasiado hockey, mucho, y el tema de la apuesta no me atraÃa nada. Tiene muy buenas crÃticas asà que definitivamente es que no es para mi
January 18, 2015
((First read dec. 2011. Second read march 2013))
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Nov. 20. 2011
Flipping hell! Who the fuck would have known? Sorry for my language.. But seriously.. Holy shit!
Ok, so when I started this online free read, at 22.00 last night (first mistake) I just wanted to read a chapter to see what it was about.. I’ll come back to that though..
First of all.. This is apparently some kind of fanfiction about two real hockey players? (forgive me if I’m wrong) It’s a 18 chapter story and its full of hockey lingo, and yes, I do know some of the basic rules about ice hockey, but definitely not a lot.. I don’t know the teams that are mentioned and I definitely don’t know who all the players are, who were mentioned..
Ok, so with all that, why the fuck did I still end up reading the whole thing in one go?! Huh?? I was flipping hooked right from the first word! And I don’t know a thing about ice hockey? W.T.F. ?!
That’s really a statement to how well this was written, I think. That the author can hook someone who’s not at all interested in ice hockey, but just absolutely fell in love with the two characters. That’s good writing, right there!
Its so good, that I stayed up reading the whole thing in one go, as I said, which means, that since I went to bed, and to now, (writing this first thing in the morning
This is about 2 pro ice hockey players, from two different teams, having to work together, and end up falling in love.. Sounds delish, right? Yeah, trust me, it is! A lot happens from the first page to the last though, and I’m not joking when I say that there is a lot of hockey talk.. I say I’m not interested in hockey, and I’m not, but at least I know the basics of the game, like what a stick and puck is. But for someone who doesn’t know anything about the sport, I think the story could lose you along the way.. There really is a lot of hockey talk.. But then again.. There is also a lot of Alex and Sid talk, and those parts? Mmmmm Delicious! They are just too freaking yummy together! With that said, I should also point out, that this is not a hot sex story, so if you want steamy male on male sex, this is not for you, but if you want a great, super cute read, and know at least a little about hockey, then this could definitely be for you. 4 stars.
4 stars
-------------------------
March 31. 2013
I look back at the review above I wrote 1½ years ago and have to kind of laugh, even though I still have tears in my eyes after just having finished reading this fanfic, this story, for the 2nd time.
Back then, like I wrote, I had no clue about hockey, but that quickly changed after reading the story back then. I fell so much in love with Ovie and Sid that I had to look them up. I had to find out more. I needed more. And so I read every. single. fanfic I could find (and sadly there are not that many. Geno and Sid? Really?) I looked them up on Facebook and Twitter and YouTube.. Oh, YOUTUBE! Rawwr And so yes, I completely feel in love with, not only the idea of Sid and Ovie but with the people themselves.
The biggest change though, is that now, 1½ years later, after reading one fanfic story, I now LOVE hockey! I love watching Ovie play and I love watching Sid play, and the few times a year they actually play each other in real life? Holy fuck. It’s come close to something of an actual holiday for me, all because of one single fanfic story. That’s how much a story can change a person’s life.
Thanks to Twitter I also now know everything about Ovie, and his
I can’t believe I fell so much in love with the story without knowing anything about hockey back then. Because now, reading it for the 2nd time, while actually knowing something about the sport? While actually knowing who all these people are? Wow.. Yeah.. Just.. Wow..
This is one amazing story and one amazing writer!
5 stars!
October 1, 2013
Updated: For yet another re-read. No hockey season would be the same without me re reading this book. I have season tickets to the Caps. Therefore I have to use this to set the stage. I just love the way this story evolves - I love the emotion, the sacrifice, the doing the right thing even when the light is only a dim presence. I love it just as much on re read as I did originally. It's one of the few books/movies that can make me cry. If you like hockey and MM - you really just cannot miss this book!
BEST. FANFIC. SLASH. EVER. I ADORED IT!
Upfront I'm a hockey fan and a Capitals fan.
1st - The hockey in this is phenomenal. The abbreviations, the language, dead bang on. All the people mentioned. Bloody fantastic!
2nd - Sid and Ovie ...it's just magic. Sublime. It was very easy to see them here the voices authentic and the story just mesmerizing.
3rd the whole alter universe where so many supported LGBT - how great was that?? YAY!
My favorite thing, other than the great relationship, is
Folks even if you don't know hockey this one is great. It's just a great mm romance. Explicit in some scenes but mostly the sex is off camera. I read every word and I actually re read some stuff as I was reading just because I relished it so much! I positively loved it!!!
BEST. FANFIC. SLASH. EVER. I ADORED IT!
Upfront I'm a hockey fan and a Capitals fan.
1st - The hockey in this is phenomenal. The abbreviations, the language, dead bang on. All the people mentioned. Bloody fantastic!
2nd - Sid and Ovie ...it's just magic. Sublime. It was very easy to see them here the voices authentic and the story just mesmerizing.
3rd the whole alter universe where so many supported LGBT - how great was that?? YAY!
My favorite thing, other than the great relationship, is
Folks even if you don't know hockey this one is great. It's just a great mm romance. Explicit in some scenes but mostly the sex is off camera. I read every word and I actually re read some stuff as I was reading just because I relished it so much! I positively loved it!!!
March 26, 2012
Fantastic uplifting story. Great opposites attract MCs. Both characters are very believable in their personalities. No need to know about hocky. What tOvie goes thru in being "outed" and then coming out and Sid thinking about coming out and all that Ovie goes thru is very real. I am not an athlete but it was very traumatizing being outed when I was 19.
So many uplifting aects of the story especially all the things Ovie does for the young kids. Reaching out to them, talking to them being a role model for them. Really great.
The overall feel of the book is just wonderful. There is probably too much hockey suff unkess you are a fan. There is little sex in the book and what is there is kind of so so. But all of that is unimportant. The coming out process for both men and the attitudes of everyone that surrounds them is what makes this so special.
I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to feel good about the human race. I wish this were a true story. I hope that more athletes will have the courage to come out and that it quickly becomes a non issue.
So many uplifting aects of the story especially all the things Ovie does for the young kids. Reaching out to them, talking to them being a role model for them. Really great.
The overall feel of the book is just wonderful. There is probably too much hockey suff unkess you are a fan. There is little sex in the book and what is there is kind of so so. But all of that is unimportant. The coming out process for both men and the attitudes of everyone that surrounds them is what makes this so special.
I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to feel good about the human race. I wish this were a true story. I hope that more athletes will have the courage to come out and that it quickly becomes a non issue.
March 15, 2016
Oh my goodness these two were so amazing together. I loved it and I loved Alex most all. He was an absolutely fantastic character. Funny and sweet and kind and strong and just all round awesome.
Darryl and me had some issues. A lot actually. But when he eventually pulls the finger out he did redeem himself for me. Nothing like a grand gesture!!
It's important to note that there are two versions of this. There is the original RPF with Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin and one with the names changed so we have original characters. I had both downloaded and by the time I realised I was reading the revised version it was kind of too late to change. My advice to people reading this is to read the original. Had I read it I'm sure it would have taken me twice as long to read it as I would have been googling the crap out of EVERYONE but I think I would have had a much better understanding of the game.
I like hockey, it's fast and it's mega violent. What's not to like? But it's a sport that you really have to go out of your way to watch here so I'm far from an expert. This fic gets kind of technical and presumes the reader knows about their hockey, which totally makes sense since this was a RPF and the people originally reading were most likely going to be hockey fans. By reading the version with the names changed it made it harder to look into what was going on and who was who. If you think you'd like to get a better understanding of hockey then I think you should read the original (I know I will be on the next read) but if you are not really interested in learning more about the sport then the revised is fine, but be warned there is still a lot of hockey speak.
This isn't an overly romantic read but I became so invested in them both and I was totally sucked in. I mean ridiculously so. This may or may not have been a shouting/crying/celebrating book. I may also have a had a little tantrum after I was interrupted during the final pages.
Overall this was a win for me and I think once I reread the original it will gain that extra star but if you are not a sports fan this might not be for you or it could turn you into a hockey fan, who knows!! I'm currently looking into my sports package and I'm hoping to have myself briefed and ready to go in time for the Stanley Cup play-offs. I need to pick a team but I'm finding myself leaning toward the Washington Capitals. For reasons!!
June 4, 2013
Awwwwww. I'm still leaking tears of happiness from reading the ending. Wasn't it just wonderful? I'm not going to spoil it, but oh!!
is actually based on two real hockey players according to . I have no idea who they are, but I really want to know. I want to see these two hockey players which I fallen in love with on the page.
The story starts out with Darryl Colton, a renowned, famous hockey player spending the summer with another famous hockey player, Aleksey Kuznetsov. Their relationship at the start was frayed and in need of serious help.
Darryl doesn't hate Kuznetsov, he just finds him really irritating occasionally. Of course Kuznetsov is a great player, one of the best in the game right now, but geez - the way he runs around on the ice and hits anything that moves, and treats everything like it's a big joke, and celebrates each goal like it's his first and last - it just gets under his skin sometimes.
So it's perfectly reasonable that Darryl had no idea that was going to be the summer of his life as he starts slowly exploring a friendship with a man who is everything Darryl's not.
Darryl can see why some people consider Kuznetsov charming - he can be hilarious, sometimes unintentionally so, and he's always bubbling with enthusiasm and energy - and silliness - whether it's the beginning of the day or the end.
Darryl also had no idea that this friendship will turn into something much more passionate and tender, that it will grow into a relationship between two lovers.
As a small note to everybody, I'm not a sporty person (unless you count Wii but that's another matter). I was always the person who sat out on the bleachers gym class and watch the jocks play rugby bare-shirted (I can't help it, no matter how much of a jerk they can be, they have great abs). So when I found that was all about two hockey players, I was a bit apprehensive. Hockey might as well have been rocket science to me, I knew nothing about it.
That being said...after I started it, I haven't been able to take a break. Not a single one. Not even to go to eat dinner because I was that obsessed with the story. I was compelled to finish it, to see what was going to happen next.
And even though it was about hockey, the writer managed to "teach" me the basics of hockey without me even noticing, so I would not have felt awkward while reading and thinking, what's this? and what the hell does that mean?! I started to get a sense of the structure within the sport and it was very well done.
The characters were even more impressive. They were drawn out carefully and they stayed in role. I actually love the contrast between the Darryl and Alex. They had very distinct personalities and I could easily distinguish between the two.
Darryl is reserved and restrained. Aleksey acts free, spontaneous and enthusiastic and thrives on the thrill he gets from playing hockey. They balance each other and depend on each other, it's all very sweet. It's a very simple case of opposites attract.
This is a beautifully written story which is paced well. 4.5 stars
is actually based on two real hockey players according to . I have no idea who they are, but I really want to know. I want to see these two hockey players which I fallen in love with on the page.
The story starts out with Darryl Colton, a renowned, famous hockey player spending the summer with another famous hockey player, Aleksey Kuznetsov. Their relationship at the start was frayed and in need of serious help.
Darryl doesn't hate Kuznetsov, he just finds him really irritating occasionally. Of course Kuznetsov is a great player, one of the best in the game right now, but geez - the way he runs around on the ice and hits anything that moves, and treats everything like it's a big joke, and celebrates each goal like it's his first and last - it just gets under his skin sometimes.
So it's perfectly reasonable that Darryl had no idea that was going to be the summer of his life as he starts slowly exploring a friendship with a man who is everything Darryl's not.
Darryl can see why some people consider Kuznetsov charming - he can be hilarious, sometimes unintentionally so, and he's always bubbling with enthusiasm and energy - and silliness - whether it's the beginning of the day or the end.
Darryl also had no idea that this friendship will turn into something much more passionate and tender, that it will grow into a relationship between two lovers.
As a small note to everybody, I'm not a sporty person (unless you count Wii but that's another matter). I was always the person who sat out on the bleachers gym class and watch the jocks play rugby bare-shirted (I can't help it, no matter how much of a jerk they can be, they have great abs). So when I found that was all about two hockey players, I was a bit apprehensive. Hockey might as well have been rocket science to me, I knew nothing about it.
That being said...after I started it, I haven't been able to take a break. Not a single one. Not even to go to eat dinner because I was that obsessed with the story. I was compelled to finish it, to see what was going to happen next.
And even though it was about hockey, the writer managed to "teach" me the basics of hockey without me even noticing, so I would not have felt awkward while reading and thinking, what's this? and what the hell does that mean?! I started to get a sense of the structure within the sport and it was very well done.
The characters were even more impressive. They were drawn out carefully and they stayed in role. I actually love the contrast between the Darryl and Alex. They had very distinct personalities and I could easily distinguish between the two.
Darryl is reserved and restrained. Aleksey acts free, spontaneous and enthusiastic and thrives on the thrill he gets from playing hockey. They balance each other and depend on each other, it's all very sweet. It's a very simple case of opposites attract.
This is a beautifully written story which is paced well. 4.5 stars
May 20, 2016
This little (big!) story just blew me away. I've been a bit distracted this week, so it did take me a while to get through,but once I got back to it last night, I didn't put it down until I was finished, so 8 am this morning!
I chose to read the version of this story with the fictional names, not the real ones. I don't know a single hockey player, by name or by face (well, Gretzky, but doesn't everyone know that name?), so that wouldn't have mattered, but I still felt more comfortable with the fictional names, RPF just feels squicky to me.
I absolutely ADORED Alex. He was just all bright and shiny and fun and exuberant, and just everything I love to see in my books. It took my longer to warm up to Darryl, but I did enjoy his journey of discovery of self, and my heart really broke for him when he thought Alex did and never would love him back. I admit to shedding quite a few tears, from the time shit blew up, until the very end of the story. My only real complaint is they spent most of the last half of the story apart. I would have loved to have gotten a much longer epilogue. Every chapter was quite long, but then the epi, once they are finally together, is only around a page, and that was a let down. I wanted more together, now that they were really together, and not just screwing around. More soft, sweet times. I know these are hockey players, so I don't expect mush, just a bit of togetherness.
I chose to read the version of this story with the fictional names, not the real ones. I don't know a single hockey player, by name or by face (well, Gretzky, but doesn't everyone know that name?), so that wouldn't have mattered, but I still felt more comfortable with the fictional names, RPF just feels squicky to me.
I absolutely ADORED Alex. He was just all bright and shiny and fun and exuberant, and just everything I love to see in my books. It took my longer to warm up to Darryl, but I did enjoy his journey of discovery of self, and my heart really broke for him when he thought Alex did and never would love him back. I admit to shedding quite a few tears, from the time shit blew up, until the very end of the story. My only real complaint is they spent most of the last half of the story apart. I would have loved to have gotten a much longer epilogue. Every chapter was quite long, but then the epi, once they are finally together, is only around a page, and that was a let down. I wanted more together, now that they were really together, and not just screwing around. More soft, sweet times. I know these are hockey players, so I don't expect mush, just a bit of togetherness.
January 16, 2013
I absolutely loved this book (and it is free)! Engrossing from beginning to end. The story features 2 NHL players from opposing teams and the relationship that develops between them.
The story does contain detail of the game of hockey, specific players/teams and the mechanics of the competition which went straight over my head (I blame being Australian for my complete lack of understanding of the game) but this did NOT impact my enjoyment of the story at all.
The characters, Darryl and Alex, were well written. I particularly loved Alex, the choices he made and they way he handled himself throughout a difficult situation.
The ending was everything I love, the full tear-jerking romantic gesture. This is going on my favourites shelf for the ending alone.
Note: I found some reviews I read a bit confusing due to the character names used. This is because the story started as a fanfic based on real-life people and was rewritten as original fiction. This updated version in the one I read (I didn't know any of the real-life names anyway)
The story does contain detail of the game of hockey, specific players/teams and the mechanics of the competition which went straight over my head (I blame being Australian for my complete lack of understanding of the game) but this did NOT impact my enjoyment of the story at all.
The characters, Darryl and Alex, were well written. I particularly loved Alex, the choices he made and they way he handled himself throughout a difficult situation.
The ending was everything I love, the full tear-jerking romantic gesture. This is going on my favourites shelf for the ending alone.
Note: I found some reviews I read a bit confusing due to the character names used. This is because the story started as a fanfic based on real-life people and was rewritten as original fiction. This updated version in the one I read (I didn't know any of the real-life names anyway)
May 5, 2016
*3.5*
Oh, so difficult to rate. Sometimes I loved it, sometimes it dragged, and sometimes I skimmed. But in the end, it was really quite entertaining!
Oh, so difficult to rate. Sometimes I loved it, sometimes it dragged, and sometimes I skimmed. But in the end, it was really quite entertaining!
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